The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-12-10
MEN IN PETTICOATS.
A Dream of What May Come to Pass in the
Not Distant Future.


industrial suggestion, in the case of
Frank King, otherwise Kitty Russell,
who has been forced, according to the
young PERSONS own story, to adopt
woman's garb and go out to work as a
housemaid and waitress in order to
make living Mr.. Frank King says
that he had money enough to live on,
without work, up to year ago. Then
circumstances compelled him to 90 to
work He could find no work to do as
Il man, but he observed that there was
always an unsuppled demand for fe-
male domestic help. If the work
would not come to Frank King, Frank
King would go to the work; and, as
his face was smooth and his stat
ure moderate, and as short hair
is fashionable, he had no difficulty in
Disgusting himself in woman's clothes
and getting situation. The scrutiny
of likely-lookinG servant girls, as every
body knows, is not keen. The advent
of any kind of girl at all is, in GER
tain unlucky households, especially
suburban households. matter for eX-
ceeding rejoicing. Kitty Russell says,
however, that she was compelled to fly
from one place to another to avoid de-
lection; and at last. having located
with family in Chelsea. where she
was regarded as a perfect jewel, she
was indiscreet enough, having fond
ness for the military. to go out and SEQ
| 4, IL H. nj
was bounced upon and arrested by a
sharp-eycd policeman, who detected
her disguise, so that here, for a time at
least, Kitty Russell's promising indus
trial career was brought to a close.
There is Il suggestion in this affair.
1t ought to be plain enough what it is.
There are thousands of men, we are
told, who can not find work to do.
There are many more thousands of
women who will not do Homework.
Now, of these thousands of men there
are a majority, beyond doubt, who
might make themselves quite handy ut
housework, or at least good deal
handler than nothing at all. Let these
poor wretches without employment be
'driven to petticoats, as MIR. Frank
King was. TO petcoats-that is. if it
is regarded as necessary to keep up
fiction of fGmininity; but in order to
spare the stalwart maids-of all-work
such episodes us Kittie Russell was SUBJ
iected to when she went out to see the
soldiers, and to keep within the law,
the petticoats might be only mere
perfunctory, rudimentary one-a sort
of Albanian fustanella, neatly disposed
over Michaeps neat but ample panta-
looms. Perhaps function and lcgiti-
mate opportunity for the divided skirt
may be found at last in this suggested
industrial movement. The sex of the
new servants might be still further dis
guised little, without being denied.
by adding feminine termination to the
well-known masculine name.
One can imagine an interesting do
nestle scene under this new regime.
"Michaellaw the mistress calls.
"Michaellan'
Enter Michaella, the second girl, in a
, neat suit consisting of Il calico jacket.
short starched nainsooll petticoat. and
coarse checked trousers over cowhide
boots Her boots make something of a
chatter as she comes in over the hard
wood floor of the hall, and her mistress
eyebrows knit a little.
, "Michaclla," she says, II must eau
ton you again to walk a little more
softly. What! Your mustache still in
curl papers ut this hour? And please
do not come 700 near. for l am afraid I
shall discover that you have been smok-
ing again, and do not want to ad-
minister too many reprimands ut once"
"Ysm with u GRIM. Fwhat is it
We want, mum?'
go down and tell Patricia that !
want to see her"
Exit Michaella, tiptoeing painfully
along the floor. and exhibiting II van
ishing perspective of broad boot heels
Enter presently Patricia in Il costume
somewhat resembling Mlchaalla's. with
the difference that the petticoat is OF
, Bingham in large pattern, and tho
trail of the kitchen is over it all. Pa
tricia's football is even more emphatic
than Mchaella's, and its measured
"calump, calump," cre1cendo. gives
abundant notice of he coming
. perhaps, Patricia says tho mis-
t. tress, as the cook scrapes n rough chin
and makes an exceedingly awkward
courtesy, "those frayed pantaloons may
be good enough for rough work around
the kitchen and shed in the morning.
: but l wouldn't wear them all day.
Have you begun the preparations for
dinner Patricia"
"Yis. mum. Ihave PIT the bread to
bile. mum, and the bafeShtlak to bake
~
Fury and explosion on tho part OF
mistress. Such contretc npI it is fair
l to assume would be bit infrrquont UNI
der the new industrial rryi ne. Even
@. now they rise occasionally in the best
I regulated domestic ,jeriprs The idea
is presented merely for what it is worth.
Boston Transcript.
4 p.-
DOn1oS fic Eati-ifv